If Only
by jessi-the-untalented
Summary: Lois shows up on Clark's doorstep with a little surprise. Completely pointless little fluff piece.


Author: Jessi The Untalented

Contact: jessi.the. As much as I wish they were, they're not mine.

Summary: Lois shows up on Clark's doorstep with a little surprise. Pointless little fluff piece.

Notes: Okay people, this is my first Lois and Clark fic! Woo! So anyway, I just had this little fluffy idea and started to write it out. It's late and I haven't done the best job proof-reading so it might require some work still. I'll get around to it, I promise. Feel free to leave me any comments/suggestions.

**If Only**

It was a nearly sheepish smile that Lois rewarded him with as he opened the door, raising a quizzical eyebrow at her."Pizza and wine? At 10:30?"

"The darnedest thing. After ordering I realized that there's just no way I could finish an entire extra large on my own." Without waiting for an invitation she pushed past Clark and went to set the pizza on the coffee table before going into the kitchen to rummage through his cupboards."You do have wine glasses don't you?" She requested, pushing assorted packages of cookies, chips, and other nutritionally

void treats out of the way.

"Uh, yeah," came Clark's answer from where he was still standing by the door. He would have been lying if he said he wasn't surprised at her sudden appearance on his doorstep. He would also be lying if he said he wasn't pleased it happened. He joined her side and reached into the cupboard next to the one she had been prodding through, extracting two wine glasses and taking the bottle from her to fill them."So what's the story with the wine?"

Okay, so she knew exactly where the glasses were. Was it so horrible of her to want to enjoy the view every once in a while? It wasn't very often that she saw her partner out of his stuffy suits, and she found herself appreciating his choice of lounge clothes: a dark-blue t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a pair of loose black shorts. Comfortable, relaxed...perfect for showing off the muscles in his arms and legs as he stretched to retrieve the glasses. Her concentration was broken at the bottle was taken gently out of her hand, and her eyes snapped up to meet Clark's warm, slightly amused gaze. She nearly blushed at the thought that he might have seen her ogling him. _Ogling_? Surely she couldn't have been ogling. Since when was Clark someone to ogle? No. It wasn't ogling. It was just...pondering. Yes. Pondering his outfit of choice.

"Lois?"

"Uhm... yes?" She started again, unaware he had previously asked her a question.

"The wine? What's the story with it?" he asked again, handing her one of the glasses as he tried to dismiss the idea that she had just been ogling him. Though come to think of it, she seemed to go speechless every time he showed a little muscle. He couldn't help but smile in self-satisfaction at the memory of her first visit to his old apartment. He had been running a bit behind and was still in his towel when she came. She had said nine, she thought he'd be naked...er, ready.

"Oh, the wine." She laughed as lightly as she could and gave him the best smile she could manage, attempting to be as natural as possible."From Cary in research, a congratulations for finishing up that story. I thought it would only be appropriate to share it with my partner."

His smile became less self-satisfied and more relaxed as he lifted his glass."Well here's to partnership, partner."

She tapped her glass against his with a little _tink _before taking a little sip."Mm, I'll drink to that, partner." She sauntered over to the couch then paused before taking a seat."Is there anything you want to watch?" She asked as she examined his movie shelf, but it appeared that she had already made her decision without him as she pulled out his rented copy of True Lies."I haven't seen this yet."

After filling a bowl with ice to keep the wine chilled Clark settled onto the couch with her, taking another sip of his wine before setting it on the coffee table and opening the pizza box. Pepperoni and mushroom, his favorite. She had definitely thought of him before ordering. Hearing her disappointed comment that it was probably cold by now all it took was a quick, inconspicuous shot of heat vision to ensure it wasn't. He lifted a slice with a smile and a shrug as if it was an unexplained miracle."Perfect."

"I can't believe he didn't tell her... How underhanded!" Lois said in bewilderment as Clark got up to change the movie."How do you keep a secret like that from your wife? How do you lead a double life like that? And how could she not know something was up?"

Clark fidgeted uncomfortably as he listened to Lois' angry rant about the movie. So the idea of a secret agent lying to his wife about what he did for a living apparently enraged her. Rightfully so, he supposed, but it didn't make his predicament any easier. '_Look on the bright side, Clark, you're nowhere _near_ married to Lois_' his mind reasoned. That little reminder did nothing to cheer him up. Besides, they were friends... best friends, actually, and lying to your best friend is still a horrible, unforgivable thing to do. "Well you can see his reasoning, can't you?" he defended."To keep her safe. How do you say something like that, anyway? Honey, I'm home, by the way I'm a secret agent?" There was a question he had been wrestling with for a while, how do you say something like that?

"Yes!" Lois sputtered quickly."Yes, you might as well just say it. Get it out in the open. Even 'Honey I'm a secret agent' is better then lying."

'_Lois I'm Superman_' Oh God. His stomach turned flops just thinking about telling her. The look on her face, the shock, the anger, the...hurt. That would be the worst part. She would be hurt. Hurt that her best friend and partner had been lying to her the entire time she knew him. Not only her best friend and partner, but Superman too, another friend and someone she knew, or thought, she could trust.

"I'm sure he had the best of intentions," Clark said meekly as he took his spot next to her on the couch again. He draped his arm over the back and she slid closer, dropping her head onto his shoulder and cuddling up against his side as she had been doing since they finished up the pizza. It was an interesting development in their relationship lately. In the past couple of weeks, since he had been comforting her about her relationship with Luthor , they had started getting a lot closer.

Lois smiled to herself, both in satisfaction that she had won the argument and because she felt him slide his strong arm around her shoulders and caress her arm gently, drawing her closer against him. The new movie started up and she pulled the blanket from the edge of the couch up over her, sighing in content at the cocoon of warmth and comfort that enveloped her.

It wasn't long before her eyelids began to get a little to heavy to hold up, and she pressed her face closer against Clark's shoulder, feeling his arm flex reassuringly around her."You falling asleep on me there?" came his soothing, soft voice from somewhere close to her.

"Maybe," she mumbled against his skin, and it suddenly struck her just how smooth and nice his skin felt. She sighed contentedly again, a tired little smile playing over her face."I feel so safe in your arms."

His heart nearly skipped a beat when she said that. Though he wasn't sure that he would have heard it if it wasn't for his superhearing, he was surprised she would even think it. A low chuckle rumbled from his throat."I think you've had too much wine," he said jokingly but softly, not wanting to disturb her too much.

"Only two glasses," she protested with another sigh against his skin, giving him goosebumps and sending a little shiver up his spine.

Not knowing what to say next Clark pulled the blanket up further around her so it was almost to her chin, then settled his arm around her again. It just felt so right being with her like this. She seemed to fit in his arms so perfectly. How could it be that so many things kept them apart? Why did so many things have to come between them? He would give anything, _anything_, for that moment to continue forever. If only the sun wouldn't rise, if only they wouldn't have to get up and go to work and face the rest of the world, if only no one would call for Superman, she could stay sleeping in his arms forever. If only.

Before the rest of the world gave way to her peaceful sleep she heard his faint whisper."You are safe. I'll never let anything happen to you."


End file.
